You idiots saying Fire Mike

[razoredge178]

No unbiased observer could watch the Hogs on a regular basis and think they're a well-coached team.

Exactly. Very similar to Burt's issue. Bring in good potential players, don't develop properly, lack of leadership from the bench-- mediocrity, at best.

[SemperFi]

Forget about it.  Not gonna happen.  First of all he's done a pretty good job here at Arkansas and throughout his entire coaching career and he's one of 3 coaches that has coached 15 seasons or more and never had a losing record.  Secondly he has a great recruiting class coming in.  Lastly do you remember Pel and Heath?

Since we're name calling, the OP is the dumbest post of 2018. If CBB's performance was considered substandard then what is Mike Anderson's performance considered? You blindly follow a Coach, but you fail to realize that CMA has everything that a coach would need to succeed at the highest level at the UA. The thing that he's missing are good Assistants and a system that requires all five players to be actively involved in the execution of an offense and a defense. Your argument to retain CMA is weak.

[PonderinHog]

Yes sanity.  So soon.  Thought the nostalgia would carry on for a little while plus I expected more from Mike.  This is a fan base that campaigned from when Nolan was fired through UAB upsetting UK in the NCAAT through 5 seasons of Mizzou basketball for their Hawg Ball.  Thought going into this and after the first few seasons it would be a while before we got to these conversations from so many.

Seems like deja vu all over again to me.  Same thing happened last year when we stunk it up and definitely two years ago when we just stunk.

[OkieBack]

The same coaching was 6-3 on the road last year in the SEC, beat eventual Final Four team South Carolina on the road. I think one problem might be the team doesn't have Dusty and Moses on it, and key replacements are new guys (for example Hall, up Saturday, down last night) and perhaps senior selfishness before saying it's "coaching." Last year's team daggered people at the FT line; this year's team goes  5-16 or whatever at FTs last night. How many 0-2s?; that's a turnover. Mike figured out that last year's team had to play zone and they did. He'll have to figure out this team pretty quickly. I think he hoped for a better defensive team than he's gotten, that's for sure.

I agree.  Does MA have some work cut out for him?  Hell ya.  But with adjustments mentioned hereby folks team play is controllable and they can win some games.  They showed the first part of the season they can play ball.  But like others have said I think Mike's going to have to use the bench some to show if you can't play defense then you are gonna be sitting an awful lot.  If Hogs lose then at least get a great defensive effort out of the team. 

But like last year, some defensive discipline might do this team some good.  And Mike wasn't as much a nostalgic hire as it was his winning record at UAB and MO and some impressive tourney streaks.  I say he deserves the benefit of the doubt especially if he's got some major recruits appearing on campus next year.  One player can really make a difference.  Go ask OU fans how they feel about Young showing up on their team.  Pretty impressive.

[Jek Tono Porkins]

Basketball has changed.  The value of a zone defense has been accepted by coaches who once would go seasons or years without playing except on extremely rare possessions.  Coach K despised playing zone to the point of being stubborn when his man was getting killed.  His last few teams including the current one will play zone.  Did it Monday night at Miami. 

Last year, it took to the absolute last moment being down at halftime to an awful LSU team for it to come together.  Every year we go multiple games into conference play with him still changing rotations and trying to figure out what works. 

It's been a good thing SEC basketball has been as bad as it has been as this would program would have been badly exposed in some other conferences.  "Never had a losing season" - thank you SEC basketball.

His defensive style for sure doesn't work like Nolan's did in the '90's. For starters, like people have been saying for years, the fouls and the excessive timeouts slow the pace of the game to the point where fatigue isn't a big factor like it was back in the day. Secondly, it's been 25 years since then and opposing coaches have had 25 years to figure out how to beat the press and they've done a pretty good job. It seems like an inordinate amount of points given up are in defensive tradition. Two of our guys try to trap one of theirs, they fail, and all of the sudden it's a 4-on-3 situation on the other side and easy points are given up, often wide-open 3's.

But the real problem in these losses has been lack of offensive production. 40 minutes of hell is countered by 40 minutes of zone. Without the easy offensive points in transition that the style relies on, the team is forced to play half-court basketball and just can't hang with the teams that rely on half-court basketball.

Now of course I'm saying all this mid-season. Every year it's the same old story. The team struggles at the outset of SEC play and then go on a tear to round out the season. Remember in 2015, they dropped games against Tennessee and Ole Miss, beat Bama in OT, and beat Mizzou by one point. Same deal last year, dropped 3 out of 4 to start conference play, though to be fair two of those were Kentucky and Florida.

So actually, I think Mike does fairly well with the system he tries to run. It's not a Bielema/football situation where he's running an outdated system AND is incompetent. He knows what he's doing. But is he ever going to get to the level to compete for a national championship? Don't think so. Not without some serious recruiting.

[majp51]

In today's basketball, there's a reason if a player is still playing college bball their senior year. You say we have 6 guys coming not good enough to play any kind of pro ball, I hear we getting a bunch of average players. That's going to get us where we want to go

Well, thing is you can get a bunch of "tweeners", which while unlikely would qualify as a great recruiting class. I mean none of them would be quite good enough to make the NBA, because their measurable don't allow them to fit at any one position well, or are unwilling to play at a better fit position. A group of that type of kid could result in a fantastic 4 years NCAA wise but never amount to anything at "the next level"

That isn't what we have coming in the next recruiting class, but  such a haul is theoretically possible.

[elkhog]

we are loaded with seniors right now and we still suck.  stop chasing the Ghost of Nolan and fire MIKE

^This^

[3kgthog]

I remember Pel and Heath well. They both didn't make the NCAAT regularly (same as Mike), both got bounced early (same as Mike), and Heath outrecruited Mike by a huge margin. Mike will never sign an out of state player as highly recruited as Al Jefferson and Famutimi were.

[hawg66]

Mike will get it figured out...again. And you guys will disappear again.

[dcrback]

Forget about it.  Not gonna happen.  First of all he's done a pretty good job here at Arkansas and throughout his entire coaching career and he's one of 3 coaches that has coached 15 seasons or more and never had a losing record.  Secondly he has a great recruiting class coming in.  Lastly do you remember Pel and Heath?

...is that you FCJ?

[Wild Bill Hog]

Mike will get it figured out...again. And you guys will disappear again.

Why does it take him half a season to "get it figured out"?  Are you saying every year is a new coaching experience for him?  Maybe you're saying he doesn't have enough experience yet.  Is that it?

[navyhog24]

Mike will get it figured out...again. And you guys will disappear again.

I highly doubt it. He's had 7 years to "figure it out", and he hasn't figured out a damn thing.

[razrbakr1]

So your entire reasoning is:
1) he's one of 3 coaches that has coached 15 seasons/more and never had losing record. 
2) he has a great recruiting class coming in. 
3) Lastly do you remember Pel and Heath?

Number one gives me no feeling of accomplishment.  Number two is the #17 class I believe, good but certainly not great.  And it is only that high because of sheer volume.  Number three is most simply, what is the real difference between Pel, Heath and Anderson?  Really what's the difference overall?  We are still not ranked, no one still knows who we are outside of our state.  But we fans know we won a handful more games, so what?
To be satisfied with being somewhere in the middle or scared of 'what if'.  What a way to be a fan.

[The NewEra]

The same coaching was 6-3 on the road last year in the SEC, beat eventual Final Four team South Carolina on the road. I think one problem might be the team doesn't have Dusty and Moses on it, and key replacements are new guys (for example Hall, up Saturday, down last night) and perhaps senior selfishness before saying it's "coaching." Last year's team daggered people at the FT line; this year's team goes  5-16 or whatever at FTs last night. How many 0-2s?; that's a turnover. Mike figured out that last year's team had to play zone and they did. He'll have to figure out this team pretty quickly. I think he hoped for a better defensive team than he's gotten, that's for sure.

I hear nothing but excuses here.  Everything you mentioned should be corrected by a very good coach.

[The NewEra]

Mike will get it figured out...again. And you guys will disappear again.

I'll be happy he turned it around and disappointed that he let it get this bad in the first place.

[majp51]

Mike will get it figured out...again. And you guys will disappear again.

The problem is Mike has never figured it out at Arkansas. He may have figured out enough to salvage a season and make it "ok" but figuring it out would at least entail winning the SEC tournament once, or making it to at least the Sweet Sixteen.

And you will probably have to face the fact that as every year goes by, fewer critics will disappear, unless he finally does figure it out.

Shoot I would love for CMA to figure it out, but part of his problem is essentially coaching nepotism, and that is not going to change at this stage in his life.

[draftkings33]

So your entire reasoning is:
1) he's one of 3 coaches that has coached 15 seasons/more and never had losing record. 
2) he has a great recruiting class coming in. 
3) Lastly do you remember Pel and Heath?

Number one gives me no feeling of accomplishment.  Number two is the #17 class I believe, good but certainly not great.  And it is only that high because of sheer volume.  Number three is most simply, what is the real difference between Pel, Heath and Anderson?  Really what's the difference overall?  We are still not ranked, no one still knows who we are outside of our state.  But we fans know we won a handful more games, so what?
To be satisfied with being somewhere in the middle or scared of 'what if'.  What a way to be a fan.  Now I am worried that Gafford will be the only one on roster next year over 6-8 and he might be gone. 

Corliss Williamson ain't walking through that door.  If we had him we would be a national championship contender.  The only way we are gonna be great is if we get a huge class of kids that will be here for 4 years.  That is what we have coming in.  Hopefully year after get a one and done or a two and done type player to go with them.  With Hill and Embry we finally will have two TRUE PGs.  Both possible future NBA players down the road.  If you have two guards like that we are gonna win a lot of games. 

[draftkings33]

You put Moody and Moore along with all these guys in two years all we have to do is find a big guy and we are set for a great run. 

[draftkings33]

Isaih Joe
Justice Hill
Embry
CHaney
Phillips
Moody
Moore
Garland
Henderson
Hall

If we have all these players in a couple of years along with a big man(I figure Gafford will be in the NBA)  we are gonna be pretty dang good. 

[Atlhogfan1]

You put Moody and Moore along with all these guys in two years all we have to do is find a big guy and we are set for a great run.

Why can't that run be made with a different coach?  (not advocating it)  - These recruits going to be pushed elsewhere?

Hill is a 5-11 PG who isn't in the top 100 players in his class from some of the rankings I have seen.  You have him as NBA potential. 

[Atlhogfan1]

Isaih Joe
Justice Hill
Embry
CHaney
Phillips
Moody
Moore
Garland
Henderson
Hall

If we have all these players in a couple of years along with a big man(I figure Gafford will be in the NBA)  we are gonna be pretty dang good.

What does Mike Anderson have to do with any of those players besides he happens to be the Hogs coach currently when most of them are coming out of Arkansas high schools? 

[Wild Bill Hog]

Isaih Joe
Justice Hill
Embry
CHaney
Phillips
Moody
Moore
Garland
Henderson
Hall

If we have all these players in a couple of years along with a big man(I figure Gafford will be in the NBA)  we are gonna be pretty dang good. 

Maybe so once we get a good coach.

[Atlhogfan1]

Maybe so once we get a good coach.

Mike has to remain coach because at some point it may all come together and he must be the coach when it does.  It's very important.  Back off and keep waiting. 

[pigture perfect]

You don't want Jerry "The Joke" Jones picking anything.  One playoff win in 20 years with the richest sports franchise in the world. 

this is your only quality post of the thread.

[draftkings33]

Why can't that run be made with a different coach?  (not advocating it)  - These recruits going to be pushed elsewhere?

Hill is a 5-11 PG who isn't in the top 100 players in his class from some of the rankings I have seen.  You have him as NBA potential.

Yes I've seen the kid play numerous times.  Have you?  Oh and he's about 5-9.5.  Will be one of the funnest Razorbacks ever.  You will see.  Tons of NBA players were underrated in HS.  Curry, Thomas, Lillard, etc...Most said they were too small.....

[Paul]

It doesn't matter what they replenish if they are coached to do the same thing this team and every team Mike has had.  Gafford can be all world but  if  he is constantly having to guard out front away from the basket he is still going to be spending an inordinate amount of time on the  bench with foul trouble.  We are not making ANY deep runs with Mike as coach as long as his teams continue to play defense in this manner and their offense looks the same too.

precisely. He is not going to change the way he coaches because that's all he has ever known.  Nolan succeeded cuz his style was new & unique.  Pitino(& others)took his style & adapted it to fit the new rules.  He also teaches the half court game.  Name one other coach who learned under Nolan who has kept a head coaching job for more than a couple of years.

[Wild Bill Hog]

Mike has to remain coach because at some point it may all come together and he must be the coach when it does.  It's very important.  Back off and keep waiting. 

Why is it so important?

[Paul]

Mike has to remain coach because at some point it may all come together and he must be the coach when it does.  It's very important.  Back off and keep waiting.

why do u say that?

[Atlhogfan1]

Why is it so important?

You'll have to ask those who keep telling us to shut up and wait.

[Atlhogfan1]

why do u say that?

It was sarcasm based on the comments from some posters on here. 

[Wild Bill Hog]

You'll have to ask those who keep telling us to shut up and wait.

Gotcha.  Missed the sarcasm font.  My mistake.

[navyhog24]

You'll have to ask those who keep telling us to shut up and wait.

for another long 7 years

[PonderinHog]

It was sarcasm based on the comments from some posters on here.

I guess it takes one to know one.   

[Atlhogfan1]

for another long 7 years

Well you see, there is this recruit named Doakes in the class of 2020.  So in 2023, he will lead MA to an NCAAT run. 

I guess it takes one to know one.   

Actually typed posters this time 

[HF#1]

 When you keep having the same problem over and over and over year after year, you aren't getting better. It's not like we are losing close road games. We are getting boat raced on the road and we got boat raced once at home.

If you look at Arkansas from a execution standpoint, we are one of the worst teams in the league. We don't execute offensively, we don't execute offensively. We play a pick up game and hope it works out.

[PonderinHog]

Well you see, there is this recruit named Doakes in the class of 2020.  So in 2023, he will lead MA to an NCAAT run. 
  Actually typed posters this time 

Did you call me a poster, poster    

[Paul]

You mean the way they hyped that Pelphrey class that Mike inherited? yep. It's not like Kentucky or Florida were beating down the door for the in-state guys MA has gotten lately. He failed in his one major goal when he got the job, when we knew Goodwin, Monk and Allen were coming up.  Someone will chime in with "but he got Portis, though." 1 of 4. Frankly, Pel getting Powell and BJ and Heath's recruiting were better than Mike's recruiting. He's a better coach than the both of them combined but you can only do so much. Florida was ridiculously quicker on the floor and to the basket than Arkansas last night, and has been most of the last several times they've played. They have better basketball players.

we supposedly recruited Chiozza out of White Station in Memphis & , of course, Allen out of our back yard. Donovan takes the job at OKC & Mike F@$€ing White comes in & gets them to sign!  So then Mike's at fault for not being able to sign them!

[Paul]

Gotcha.  Missed the sarcasm font.  My mistake.

[Justifiable Hogicide]

Point is people on here act like he's awful.

It's not an act.

[Southern Hogspitality]

Forget about it.  Not gonna happen.  First of all he's done a pretty good job here at Arkansas and throughout his entire coaching career and he's one of 3 coaches that has coached 15 seasons or more and never had a losing record.

.
That is a very backed into stat and misleading.  1)  Anderson has only coached 15 years and he has had two 16-16 one at Missouri and one at Arkansas.  2) Not only that but if you look at coaches without a loosing season in the last 15 years I found 5 others easily.  3) Jay Wright has 1 losing season in the last 15 years and I don't know anyone who thinks Mike Anderson is a better coach than Jay Wright (proving that stat is mostly worthless).

I think Anderson needs to go.  I want to watch basketball not what I have seen for the last 7 years.

[Athog]

I don't entirely disagree, but this level of success is not acceptable at Arkansas.

What is the difference at Arkansas?? Lol

[texas tush hog]

Mike will get it figured out...again. And you guys will disappear again.

Here, here, Dilly, Dilly. Great post.

[ParkerSchnabel]

I just want the season to play out before making a decision about replacing anyone. If we don't make the tournament then yes he needs to go. But I think we will.

[ParkerSchnabel]

Ok I'm only posting this to be funny. So please have a sense of humor. Its a movie reference....

Close your eyes for just a second. Now picture a coach who took over a program that hadn't been competitive in over 20 years. Do you see him ? Can you see him in your mind ? His first three seasons his record improved season after season. Then he had a bad year bc he failed to replace some guys he was told would return.. Can you picture this ? Then the coach turns things around and makes the tournament only to get knocked out by the eventual champions on some really crappy calls.

The next season he beats a solid OU team and has his team in the top ten RPI before slipping AT THE START of conference play. But he's always turned it around in the past !!! Can you see him ? Fighting for his team and his job ?

Now... imagine he's white.

Do you fire him ?

[PonderinHog]

A Time to Fire

[ParkerSchnabel]

A Time to Fire

That was fast.

[Mike Irwin]

It doesn't take much common sense to know they're not going to fire the AD, the head football coach and the head basketball coach in the same academic year.

The athletic department is up to its eyeballs in buyout payments.

Not saying Anderson can't be fired but it's not going to be this season.

[Dominicanhog]

Ok I'm only posting this to be funny. So please have a sense of humor. Its a movie reference....

Close your eyes for just a second. Now picture a coach who took over a program that hadn't been competitive in over 20 years. Do you see him ? Can you see him in your mind ? His first three seasons his record improved season after season. Then he had a bad year bc he failed to replace some guys he was told would return.. Can you picture this ? Then the coach turns things around and makes the tournament only to get knocked out by the eventual champions on some really crappy calls.

The next season he beats a solid OU team and has his team in the top ten RPI before slipping AT THE START of conference play. But he's always turned it around in the past !!! Can you see him ? Fighting for his team and his job ?

Now... imagine he's white.

Do you fire him ?

that was a good movie...

[ParkerSchnabel]

that was a good movie...

You're not kidding. I have a little girl. I would have done the same thing. Hard to imagine that people can be that full of hate to another human being.

[Peter Porker]

Forget about it.  Not gonna happen.  First of all he's done a pretty good job here at Arkansas and throughout his entire coaching career and he's one of 3 coaches that has coached 15 seasons or more and never had a losing record.  Secondly he has a great recruiting class coming in.  Lastly do you remember Pel and Heath?

Wow. Your grammar has improved with your new account, FCJ.